Project Profile: Kuntz Residence

What would it be like to never pay a power bill again? Mark Kuntz, chief operating officer, Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US (METUS), is well on his way to finding out. With a passion for high-performance building, Kuntz decided to put his knowledge to the test after buying an 11-acre property in Monroe, Georgia.

“Our goals for the home were threefold: We wanted to build a house that would consume zero energy, incur no debt and utilize materials that have longevity and are relatively maintenance free,” explained Kuntz. An advocate for the technology and assured of its performance, Kuntz utilized Mitsubishi Electric’s Zoned Comfort Solutions® for his new, low-load, energy-efficient and healthy home.

With his vision clear, Kuntz set out to assemble his project team. With help from Mitsubishi Electric’s Performance Construction Team, they brought on Imery Group, a local custom home builder and energy rater, as well as Energy Vanguard, an energy and HVAC consulting firm. After Imery Group planned the thermal envelope of the house, Energy Vanguard got to work on the mechanical systems and load calculations.

“When you’re building any new home, calculating the heating and cooling loads is important to do from the start,” said Allison Bailes III, president, Energy Vanguard. “Room by room, you measure the loads so that you can then determine the total size of the equipment appropriate for the home. Then there’s the ducting to factor in. Whether a system’s ducted or ductless, you’ll have to make sure air is distributed properly.”

Ultimately, the team decided upon three MSZ-FH Wall-Mounted Indoor Units (one for each bedroom) and one Horizontal-Ducted Indoor Unit (PEAD) to condition the first level of the home. Mitsubishi Electric’s mobile app and web service, kumo cloud®, was also installed so that Kuntz and his family can control the comfort of the home from their preferred smart devices.

Other products installed include solar panels and a prototype hot water and space conditioning heat pump from Mitsubishi Electric. “It’s a split system, half outdoors (so it’s not cannibalizing heat) and half indoors to provide both hot water and heating and cooling to the rest of the downstairs space,” explained Kuntz of the prototype. “When in air-conditioning mode, it’s capturing heat inside the house and putting it in the water; it’s essentially gathering free heat.”

The result has been outstanding, garnering a confirmed HERS score of -13 among a host of other green certifications and recognitions.